Mycophenolate mofetil: a promising new immunosuppressant that does not cause bone loss in the rat.
BACKGROUND
Posttransplantation bone disease is a well-described phenomenon; among its etiology is immunosuppressant-induced bone disease. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) has emerged as a promising new immunosuppressant. Our study was designed to investigate the effect of MMF on in vivo bone mineral metabolism.


METHODS
Twenty-four 6-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into two groups to receive either MMF vehicle daily for 28 days or 30 mg/kg MMF daily for 28 days. The serum was assayed for osteocalcin and 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3. Subsequent to double-labeling, the right tibiae were removed on day 28 for histomorphometry.


RESULTS
MMF suppressed bone gla protein (osteocalcin) levels on days 14 and 28 (P < 0.05). Except for percentage osteoid perimeter, there was no difference in bone histomorphometry between the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
In this relatively short-term study, MMF did not cause osteopenia in the rat model, but the suppressed bone gla protein merits further study.
Dissanayake
I R
IR
Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19141, USA.
Goodman
G R
GR
Bowman
A R
AR
Ma
Y
Y
Pun
S
S
Jee
W S
WS
Epstein
S
S
D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014180:Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid